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Doing good for the community before the elections is often criticised as a cheap way of politicking and trying to lure voters into voting for certain political parties or individuals.
But for Chief Livhuwani Matsila, doing good in the name of empowering his community and the surrounding villagers has always been part of his genes.
Matsila is famously known as the secretary of the ANC's electoral committee, but on a more permanent basis, he is the chief of the Matsila village, belonging to the VhaVenda, in Limpopo.
For the past 10 years, Matsila has been playing a key role in empowering the community through his foundation by employing villagers to work on various projects.
On Wednesday, Matsila continued to show the difference between a politician and a chief hellbent on empowering his subjects.
Recently, he took off his political cap and wore his leadership cap to help the needy in and around his village.
Matsila, in partnership with Gift of the Givers Foundation and KFC, has increased his contribution to fighting poverty and hunger in Matsila and surrounding villages.
The partnership delivered the first supply of food parcels to more than 2 300 families and individuals on Wednesday.
Speaking to City Press, Matsila said they would supply meals to individuals and food parcels to families with no income for a year.
He said the purpose of the partnership was to ensure that there was food on the table for the disadvantaged.
He said this gesture was not a political game to get votes, but something that has been happening for more than 10 years.
He said:
Matsila said the partnership aligned well with the objective to make sure that pupils without food did not go hungry daily.
“Because our foundation, in particular, is focused on improving the conditions for schoolchildren to learn without obstacles and any burden of hunger, we are excited to be in this position.
"This is the first of its kind in our area and is bound to be an example for other areas to follow suit,” said Matsila.
He said the programme would feed the community for five days a week.
“In some cases, it will be the weekend as well. There are children, whom we have identified, who do not have food at home,” he said.
This is not the first time that the two partners, who have now added KFC to the partnership, delivered aid to the villagers.
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During the outbreak of coronavirus in 2020, the two foundations provided emergency relief and aid to the Matsila village and surrounding communities by delivering food parcels, sanitisers, hippo rollers, and establishing boreholes to provide clean water.
Matsila said that even though they had identified 2 300 beneficiaries, they would continue to assist the poverty-stricken communities of Matsila, Nkuzani, Vhangani, Nwamatatani, Njakanjaka and Majosi.
He said:
The identified centres are: Matsila Food & Nutrition Centre (150 beneficiaries), Mikateko Elderly and Disabled (60 beneficiaries), Vhangani Primary School (450 beneficiaries), Mudinane Secondary School (540 beneficiaries), Nwamatatani Community Builders (100 beneficiaries), Arise Day Care Centre (50 beneficiaries), Hanyani Nkuzani Secondary School (900 beneficiaries) and AFM KLC Welfare (50 beneficiaries).
Matsila said the programme would deliver a total of 11 500 meals per week, 46 000 meals per month and 552 000 meals per year.
“We are extremely excited that the first consignment of groceries and essentials shall be donated and delivered by Gift of the Givers Foundation, courtesy of KFC during the launch of the programme at Matsila village,” he said.
